Zombies to walk again in 2019, despite flagging attendance, sponsorships

Enthusiastic Support: Charlie Ross, manager of Don’s Hobby Shop, attended Calgary Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 6. Don’s was a proud sponsor of the Zombie Walk for the second year in a row. Ross is showing off one of her shop’s new additions, mouth dye. She said it tasted like vanilla mint. (Photo by Colin Craig/SAIT)

Despite struggles with funding, Calgary’s annual Zombie Walk hopes to be back again next year.

Christopher Brownell, the organizer of the event acknowledged that this year’s walk didn’t attract as many zombie lovers to Olympic Plaza on Oct. 6, as in past years.

About 120 people participated in the event, on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving long weekend.

“We didn’t get the numbers we hoped for,” said Brownell, who ran the event.

“We need more sponsors to help the walk grow to its old size again.”

But despite the difficulties, Brownell says zombie-lovers can expect the event to return in 2019.

“The walk will happen again 2019,” said Brownell, hoping more sponsors will step in to make it more successful.

The 2018 walk started with face painting and photo taking, at Olympic Plaza downtown.

The participants then joined together to all dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, before setting out down Stephen Avenue for the actual walk.

The walk was supposed to be taking donations for the food bank, but ran into issues.

“For some reason [the food bank people] didn’t show,” said Brownell.

One sponsor that helped out this year was Don’s Hobby Shop on Centre Street North.

Don’s manager, Charlie Ross, had a booth set up at the event where she and her co-workers helped paint people’s faces.

She was also dressed up in her zombie attire, using various items she sells at her shop.